Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Tuesday, 20 April 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 16 June 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 June 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Department for Trade and Industry regarding the exclusion of drinking water from the General Agreement on Trade in Services. (Holding answer 27 April 2004).

Answer: Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Department for Trade and Industry regarding the exclusion of drinking water from the General Agreement on Trade in Services. [168019] Mr. Morley :[holding answer 27 April 2004]: The Department has been fully consulted by the Department for Trade and Industry at all stages of the GATS negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the EU draft offer and requests on services. The GATS negotiations are conducted on a request and offer basis, in which one WTO Member makes a request and the requested Member considers how to respond. Requests are no more than that. A country to whom a request has been addressed is not obliged to meet the request, whether fully, partially or even at all. Therefore it is entirely up to an individual member as to whether they include drinking water in their GATS offer.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 422 c951-2W; 168019
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Exemptions Drinking water Standards Water Water supply General Agreement on Trade in Services
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk